Wheeler, Kathryn (2022) 'Differences between thematic analysis and content analysis: Exploring Environmental and Sustainability Education resources.' Sage Research Methods: Cases. (In Press)

Text Wheeler.FirstDraft.ContentThematic_revised.docx - Accepted Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 1 January 2100. Download (61kB)

Abstract

This case reflects on key differences between thematic analysis and qualitative content analysis. I describe how I pivoted from a thematic analysis to a content analysis mid-way through a project analyzing environmental and sustainability education resources. My research question and the assumptions I had about the status of the data I was analyzing were more suited to qualitative content analysis, with its systematic procedures for reducing data and producing descriptive (though interpreted) statistics. Many of the mistakes I made with this project can be traced back to me using a tried and tested approach to analysis rather than critically reflecting on my assumptions and the best ‘fit’ between method, methodology and data. I write this case in the hope that other researchers can choose between these apparently similar approaches by arguing that the two have quite different underlying logics behind them.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology, Department of
SWORD Depositor:	Elements
Depositing User:	Elements
Date Deposited:	13 Oct 2021 10:08
Last Modified:	13 May 2022 14:41
URI:	http://repository.essex.ac.uk/id/eprint/30920

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